Tornadoes and Hail in Tennessee, May 2, 2019

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Tennessee, May 2, 2019
Start: 2019-05-02T17:10
End: 2019-05-02T17:55
Location: Tennessee

May 2, 2019 · NWS MEG · 6 events in 2 counties and zones

A passing upper level disturbance interacted with an unstable atmosphere to create all facets of severe weather across portions of northwest Tennessee during the late afternoon and early evening hours of May 2nd.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $11,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MEG wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Memphis, TN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 2, 2:52 PM CST, 2 hours 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 2, 2:52 PM CST, 2 hours 18 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Memphis TN
352 PM CDT Thu May 2 2019

.DISCUSSION...

Currently...
A Meso Convective Vortex (MCV) is centered and spinning to the
northeast of Little Rock, Arkansas. Ahead of this feature, a
slightly unstable airmass exists across northeast Arkansas and the
Missouri Bootheel. The airmass is largely characterized by 1000
J/kg of MLCAPE with up to 35 kts of bulk shear. In addition, LCLs
are sufficiently low around 700 meters and surface winds are
backed easterly. As a result, 0-1 km shear values are in excess of
1000 m2/s2. The combination of mentioned severe parameters
justifies a low end tornado risk. However, damaging winds still
look to be the dominant threat. A tornado watch is in effect for
northeast Arkansas and Dunklin County, MO through 7PM CDT. The MCV
is expected to lift northeast of the area around midnight. Thereafter,
a frontal boundary is expected to push south of the I-40
corridor through Friday morning.

.Friday through the Weekend...
Friday now appears to be a mostly dry day as the front sags to our
south and upper level heights build behind the exiting shortwave
trough. This will result in mainly dry conditions through late
afternoon for much of the area. Decided to carry a slight chance
of showers and thunderstorms further south, where a few showers
and thunderstorms may form during peak heating. The better
organized showers and thunderstorms will arrive around sundown as
a surface low tracks directly over the Mid-South and the front
lifts back north as a warm front.

The low pressure system is expected to lift northeastward
throughout the day on Saturday. This will result in scattered to
widespread showers and thunderstorms for much of the day. QPF
values will range from a half inch to one inch with isolated
higher amounts. Due to the track of the low, severe weather is not
anticipated. Both main synoptic models are consistent with the
front exiting the area by early Sunday morning with high pressure
building in during the day. It should be a beautiful day with
plenty of sunshine, low humidity, and temperatures in the low to
mid 70s.

.Next Week...
Monday will be another nice day with abundant sunshine with
slightly warmer temperatures in the upper 70s to lower 80s. The
weather pattern will become quite unsettled by Tuesday, as surface
high pressure shifts eastward and a large trough begins to dig
across the Desert Southwest. A number of shortwaves, embedded in
southwest flow aloft, will rotate through the area Tuesday night
through Friday. Expect showers and thunderstorms each day with
highs around 80 and lows in the upper 60s.

AC3

&&

.AVIATION...
18Z TAF cycle

VFR conditions should continue into early this evening. Scattered
thunderstorms will be found across northeast Arkansas this
afternoon and across the remainder of the forecast area by this
evening. Lower clouds will move into the forecast area this
evening and will remain over the region into Friday morning. Winds
will be mainly from the south at around 10 knots with some higher
gusts. Winds will shift to the northwest starting as early as this
evening and continuing through Friday morning.

ARS

&&

.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...None.
MO...None.
MS...None.
TN...None.
&&

Hazardous weather outlook, May 2, 2:11 PM CST, 2 hours 59 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Memphis TN
311 PM CDT Thu May 2 2019

ARZ009-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-MSZ001>017-
020>024-TNZ001>004-019>022-048>055-088>092-032215-
Alcorn-Benton MS-Benton TN-Calhoun-Carroll-Chester-Chickasaw-Clay-
Coahoma-Craighead-Crittenden-Crockett-Cross-DeSoto-Decatur-
Dunklin-Dyer-Fayette-Gibson-Greene-Hardeman-Hardin-Haywood-
Henderson-Henry-Itawamba-Lafayette-Lake-Lauderdale-Lee AR-Lee MS-
Madison-Marshall-McNairy-Mississippi-Monroe-Obion-Panola-Pemiscot-
Phillips-Poinsett-Pontotoc-Prentiss-Quitman-Shelby-St. Francis-
Tallahatchie-Tate-Tippah-Tipton-Tishomingo-Tunica-Union-Weakley-
Yalobusha-
311 PM CDT Thu May 2 2019

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of East Arkansas...
the Missouri Bootheel...North Mississippi...and West Tennessee.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight

There is a slight risk for severe thunderstorms generally along
and north of I-40 this afternoon and tonight. A marginal risk for
severe thunderstorms exists across the remainder of the Mid South.
Damaging winds will be the primary threat for any thunderstorms
that reach severe limits, with a secondary threat of an isolated
tornado along and west of the Mississippi River. Localized heavy
rainfall is also possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday

A few strong thunderstorms containing gusty winds and localized
heavy rainfall are possible across the Mid-South for Friday and
Saturday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon and tonight.

AC3
AC3

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 2, 3:34 PM CST, 1 hour 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
434 PM CDT THU MAY 02 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0429 PM     TORNADO          4 NE LAFE               36.25N  90.46W
05/02/2019                   GREENE             AR   EMERGENCY MNGR

            EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTED TORNADO IN KNOB, AR.

&&

KRF

Local storm report, May 2, 4:13 PM CST, 57 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
513 PM CDT THU MAY 02 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0502 PM     TORNADO          1 WNW BLYTHEVILLE       35.94N  89.95W
05/02/2019                   MISSISSIPPI        AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TORNADO REPORTED ON THE GROUND NEAR GOSNELL.

&&

KRF

Local storm report, May 2, 4:18 PM CST, 52 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
518 PM CDT THU MAY 02 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0447 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 NE LAFE               36.24N  90.45W
05/02/2019                   GREENE             AR   AMATEUR RADIO

            POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE TO A HOME ON GREENE ROAD 402.

&&

KRF

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 107 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:07 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 hail, 2 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Lake

When: May 2, 5:10 PM CST to 5:15 PM CST
Where: Lake County, 1.24 mi SSW of Ridgely to 0.57 mi E of Ridgely
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 36.255, -89.491

Golf-ball size hail in Ridgely.

Tornado, Obion

When: May 2, 5:20 PM CST to 5:21 PM CST
Where: Obion County, 1.59 mi NNW of Cat Corner to 1.75 mi N of Cat Corner
Rating: EF0
Path length: 0.21 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 36.242, -89.428

This tornado formed in open country west of Bluff Road. It uprooted trees as it moved through a creek bed and crossed Bluff Road. The tornado dissipated shortly after the crossing of Bluff Road. Peak winds were estimated at 80 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lake

When: May 2, 5:40 PM CST to 5:45 PM CST
Where: Lake County, 0.1 mi SSW of Ridgely to 0.46 mi ENE of Ridgely
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.269, -89.481

Pole down on Highway 78.

Tornado, Obion

When: May 2, 5:43 PM CST to 5:44 PM CST
Where: Obion County, 0.73 mi SW of Antioch to 0.59 mi SW of Antioch
Rating: EF0
Path length: 0.14 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 36.343, -89.330

The tornado uprooted a few trees and broke tree limbs as it crossed Highway 21. Peak winds were estimated at 75 mph.

Funnel Cloud, Obion

When: May 2, 5:50 PM CST to 5:52 PM CST
Where: Obion County, Samburg to 0.77 mi ENE of Samburg
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.380, -89.350

Funnel cloud reported near Samburg.

Hail, Lake

When: May 2, 5:50 PM CST to 5:55 PM CST
Where: Lake County, 0.6 mi ESE of Blue Bank to 2.98 mi E of Tiptonville Gooch Fl
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.346, -89.421

Quarter size hail reported east of Tiptonville near the Frierson Road and Highway 22 intersection.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Tennessee in 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Tennessee, 2019 Warnings in Tennessee, May 2019

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 824384, 824393, 824401, 824404, 824405, 824409.